So often we find ourselves trying to figure out why our neighbors’ are acting the way they are or why our eleven year old seems so unappreciative or how come our boss is so lucky, yet so incompetent? C’mon, we all do it … in varying degrees, but we all do it.

Seemingly we think we have “the formula”, the one that if everyone else abided by, the world would be such a better place in which to live. Well, did you ever stop to think that your neighbor or child or boss could be thinking the same thing?

So the real formula here is to make the most of who we are, the best way we can (hopefully without, or as little as possible, any immorality or illegality) and allow the rest of the planet to do the same.

One of my favorite writers of all time, William Shakespeare, said it best, “To thine own self, be true”. More times than not, we virtually force our philosophies, our ethics, our family values and yes, our religions on others. We’re the first to offer ourselves for an intervention of “a loved one” and the last to recognize that sometimes it is “us” that are in need.

It’s important to find out who we are before we make a pilgrimage to someone else’s needs. Time spent understanding who we are should be our primary concern. It is only then, that we can be of benefit to those around us … family, children, partners, co-workers and acquaintances. For every finger we point at someone else, three point back at us. So maybe we should consider not pointing a finger at all and I have a feeling that once we know and respect ourselves we would extend the same courtesy to others.

Find your faults; do your best to correct them; love yourself all the more for it. After all, you’re the only you that you’ve got.